Sunday, July 28, 2013

Most of us are aware that therapeutic massage feels amazing; but
massage also provides relief to a multitude of specific health concerns.
Therapeutic massage has been proven beneficial in reducing muscular
pain and tension; relieving lower back pain; lessening depression;
giving K.O.'s to sleep disorders, lowering high blood pressure,
increasing flexibility, and much more!

Experts believe that 90% of
stress accounts for 80-90% of illnesses and disease. As massage is a
great stress-reliever, you can see that we can avoid a lot of current,
stress-related illnesses via massage therapy.

As mentioned above,
there are several reasons why people seek massage. Below are the top
ten reasons why most people seek massage:

1. Massage feels great!

Massage can be a wonderful experience for deep relaxation. Post massage leaves your body and mind feeling at amazing ease.

You'd be surprised at the
number of people who receive regular massage treatments as an
alternative to 'dealing' with depression. . Massage therapy increases
self-esteem, improves your mood, decreases depression, reduces anxiety,
and quiets insomnia. Massage also can ease PMS symptoms.

6. Accelerated Healing

Massage
therapy speeds healing of muscles, tissues, and skin. Thus sports
massage is used and great for post-workouts, post-surgery, and muscle
soreness in general.

7. Increased Flexibility/Mobility

Massage
therapy is perfect for people who workout, are physically fit, those
who are athletes, elderly, and even pre/post surgery. Massage is
wonderful for improving motor skills. Massage therapy also maintains
posture in the skeletal system.

Regular
massage will make you look and feel years younger! Massage therapy is
so much more than a luxurious way to relax. It is a wise investment in
your health and being. Massage certainly should be regarded as proof to
your dedication towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Watch the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles start to disappear around your eyes in as little as 15 minutes using BeautiControl's Regeneration® Tight, Firm & Fill® Extreme Eye Complex. It features maximum levels of the patent-pending Tri-Peptide complex that work immediately to create an optimal environment for the skin to naturally produce collagen. Tired eyes feel soothed with cucumber and chamomile extracts. Reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffiness with Haloxyl™ and a blend of red, green and brown algae.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Massage therapy is an ancient art and science dating back as far
as 2000 BC. The popularity of massages has endured because it is a
proven method of improving one's physical health and emotional well
being. Massage is the therapeutic manual manipulation of the body's soft
tissues. It not only is used to relax muscles and stimulate healing of
deep tissue injuries, but it can also be used to prevent injuries.

Massage
therapy can help treat and prevent not only sports injuries, but also
injuries received during everyday activities. This type of therapy helps
to improve and maintain muscle and connective tissue health which helps
to reduce the chance of injury. It focuses on such areas as muscle tone
and relaxation, range of motion, and flexibility. The muscles, tissues,
tendons, and ligaments are manipulated manually using specific massage
techniques for the purpose of restoring elasticity to the deep tissues
and strengthening muscles to allow for more elasticity. This allows for
better movement and makes the body less at risk of receiving an injury.

Massage
therapy provides a number of therapeutic effects that helps minimize
the chance of receiving an injury. For instance, over time, muscles can
tighten and shorten which increases the risk of muscle, ligament, and
tendon strains. Regular massage sessions helps keep muscles and tissues
loose and flexible decreasing the risk of strain and tears. A deep
tissue massage will improve circulation so that blood flow carrying
oxygen and nutrients to the tissues will be increased. This will
optimize muscle and ligament health and relieve muscle stiffness and
tension.

There are massage techniques that cause the body to
release natural chemicals called endorphins which are natural pain
killers. It has also been shown that massage therapy on a regular basis
can not only help prevent injury, but it also helps extend an athlete's
career by maintaining physical health. Other ways regular massage
sessions helps prevents injuries includes: improving mobility, joint
flexibility and range of motion, increasing circulation, strengthening
the immune system, and alleviating musculoskeletal problems which will
improve posture.

When given by a by an experienced and licensed
massage therapist, a massage will alleviate tension all over the body,
including stress tension. One will be healthier, feel good all over, and
be in better shape to ward off injury from engaging in everyday tasks
such as house cleaning, gardening, moving items, and much more. A
massage therapist is able to identify any tender areas that need work
and stimulate the muscles and tissues to strengthen and tone. It is
important to use the services of a licensed massage therapist as a
person unskilled in the art and science of massage can cause injury. As
well a professional massage will reduce the instances of soreness,
spasms, pain in specific areas such as in the neck and lower back,
improves joint flexibility, and improves range of motion, decreases
blood pressure which can decrease the chance of a stroke or heart
attack, and ensure fluids drain properly instead of accumulating in one
area. The over all result is an increase in comfort and more ability to
engage in physical activities.

Massage therapy has been practiced
for so many years because of its proven health benefits. It is even a
part of many conventional health treatments. In fact, many health
insurance companies provide coverage for therapeutic massages. It is a
therapeutic and preventative technique practiced by millions of people
of all ages throughout the world.

Friday, July 19, 2013

When you come to 36 Oaks don't forget to try one of our flip flop
facials! A decadent spa treatment for your face, and on the flip side,
your back. Your back needs a “facial” too! An area that is hard to reach
and often neglected. Your Flip Flop Facial includes back and face
“facial” as well as your choice of neck and shoulder work, or hands and
feet.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Hot Stone Massage Therapy, once thought of as a spa treatment, is
becoming more and more popular in a clinical, therapeutic settings. The
basics of the treatment remain the same. Lava stones are heated to a
comfortable temperature and used throughout the massage to provide heat
and relaxation to further loosen up tight muscles. The difference I
find, lies in the techniques used. In most spa treatments I have
experienced, the stones are placed on the body to heat up specific areas
and then removed when the massage begins. Very rarely have I noticed
the stones being used in correlation with the massage techniques
themselves.

Massage Therapists are trained to use the heated
stones along with massage techniques, alternating between the stone and
their hands. Using the heat along with massage loosens the muscles
quicker and provides a sense of fluidity in the treatment. Although hot
stone massage can be beneficial all year-round, I personally enjoy it
most during the cooler months.

Just like regular massage, each
individual has a preferred pressure as well as temperature. Even though
the stones are quickly dipped in water to cool them off, they can still
be a little too hot. Make sure you communicate with your therapist if
you are uncomfortable in any way. Communication is key in any treatment
you are receiving. I also find that with the heat, clients can be a
little more tender a day or two after. I always advise them to have a
nice soak in the tub after any massage and make sure you drink lots of
water, especially after a hot stone massage.

There are some contraindications to hot stone massage:

* Hot stones are not indicated in any trimester of pregnancy
and especially within the first. Increasing the moms temperature will
also increase the baby's and this could be dangerous to both.

*
Anyone with a heart condition, increased blood pressure or heart
disease. The heat increases blood pressure and can cause further damage
in those with heart conditions

* Any acute injury that has indication of swelling. Heat increases swelling which in turn causes pain.

If you are unsure whether hot stone massage is right for you please check with you doctor first

Most
benefits that cover Registered Massage Therapy will also cover Hot
Stone Massage Therapy because it falls under the same categories in your
personal insurance. If you are unsure please talk to your provider
before booking.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Are you looking for something unique to do for your daughter's birthday? Try a Spa Party!

Girl's Birthday Spa Party

Have your
daughter feel like a princess on her special day, at the area's only
Country Retreat. Whether it's a few friends or a group, make it a day
she'll remember forever. Day includes but not limited to:

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Massage is perhaps the oldest form of
hands-on-healing known to humans, easily pre-dating written records. For
millennia, people from virtually every culture have used a combination
of touch, heat (thermotherapy) and stones as therapeutic tools. It's
pretty safe to say that almost every culture has either used heat and/or
stones to have some sort of healing effect on the body - whether it's
using stones directly on the body like we do in a Hot Stone Massage, or
indirectly, similar to a structure like Stonehenge affecting the body
energetically.

Most therapists who incorporate heated stones into
their massage routine agree that the Chinese, Native Americans and
Hawaiians have played a major role in how Stone Therapy is applied today
(although the Egyptians, Ayurvedic Medicine, Pacific Islanders and many
other cultures are also said to have used stones in their healing
arts).

Traditional uses of stones

One of the first
recorded uses of stones for healing was by the Chinese. Prior to the
invention of metal acupuncture needles, ancient Traditional Chinese
Medical (TCM) practitioners regularly used various shaped and sharpened
stones to treat disease. These stones were known as 'Bian Stones', and
were used to prick, pierce and bleed various points on the body (as well
as lancing boils and performing other superficial procedures). The
Chinese also used heat, in the form of 'moxabustion' (burning 'mugwort' -
a dried herb - over acupuncture points), to increase the yang/heat in
the body and have a healing effect on patients. Moxabustion is still
used today by almost all TCM practitioners.

Undoubtedly, both Bian
Stones and moxabustion were used together in the same treatment;
however there are differing opinions when it comes to the specific use
of stones to massage the body. TCM practitioners did 'scrape' various
muscles and meridians with jade tools (and other hard objects) to treat
different diseases. This was/is known as 'Gua Sha', and is still
practised today.

The Native Americans had many rituals which
involved the use of stones. One of the more well-known rituals involved
placing heated stones (generally basalt) into a tepee-like structure,
otherwise known as a 'Sweat Lodge'. This practice was used to cleanse
and heal the body and mind. Several other cultures, including the
Romans, had a similar idea, leading to the development of modern-day
Saunas. Another Native American ritual used a heated stone that was
wrapped in cloth/bark. This warm stone was placed onto the lower abdomen
of a woman who was menstruating, in order to relieve cramps (women
today employ this same principle when they use a hot water bottle).

Heated
stones were perhaps even more frequently used in traditional Hawaiian
healing practices. Customary uses included wrapping heated stones in
'ti-leaves', a special type of leaf with therapeutic properties. These
wrapped stones were then placed on sore areas of the body in order to
reduce pain - similar to using a heat pack or poultice. Hot stones were
also placed in shallow pits and covered with these same leaves. The
patient would then lie on top of the leaves, allowing the healing
properties to infuse into the body.

Volcanic stones are also said
to have been rubbed over the body after a traditional Hawaiian
Kahuna/Lomi-Lomi massage (in the Hawaiian language, Lomi-Lomi simply
means 'to knead/rub/massage'). Due to the coarseness of the stones used,
this was perhaps less of a massage technique and more of an
exfoliation. The Hawaiians are one of the most closely linked cultures
to modern-day Stone Therapy.

There are also endless references to
the use of gems, crystals and other types of stones by many cultures
throughout the history of healing.

About modern-day Hot Stone Massage

Modern-day
Stone Therapy, a truly unique style of massage, has been gaining
popularity throughout the world after being 'discovered' in the United
States in 1993. The story revolves around a massage therapist named Mary
Nelson, who was suffering from repetitive use injuries in the
shoulders/wrists. She was having a sauna with her niece who was about to
receive a massage, and was 'called' to use the stones. Mary chose some
of the smoother stones and used them in the massage. It felt great (for
the client as well as the therapist) and thus Stone Therapy as we know
it today was born. This first style of modern-day Stone Therapy was/is
called 'LaStone Therapy'.

Mary 'channelled' much of the
information about LaStone Therapy from her Native American spirit guide.
This is one of the reasons why many Spas/Salons and journalists think
that Stone Therapy is a 'traditional' Native American treatment.
Although LaStone Therapy is based on Native American culture, it is much
more accurate to say that modern-day Stone Therapy is a combination of
Chinese, Native American and Hawaiian healing principles (as well as the
many other cultures who somehow used heat and/or stones in their
healing arts).

What to expect during a Hot Stone Massage

A
modern-day Hot Stone Massage (also sometimes called Hot Rocks Massage)
will usually consist of the therapist placing heated stones (usually basalt stones
) of various shapes/sizes onto the client's body (for safety, most of
the time these 'placement' stones won't be in direct contact with the
skin, instead they will be placed onto a towel to buffer the heat).
These stones are placed onto different points (chakras, energy points,
sore muscles, etc), depending on the style of Hot Stone Massage or Stone
Therapy.

Whilst these placement stones are warming and activating
specific areas, the therapist will take several other heated stones and
begin massaging a different area of the body. The heat from the stones
is released deep into the muscles, greatly enhancing the massage. It is
said that one stroke with a heated stone is equivalent to ten normal
massage strokes! Some therapists will also incorporate cold stones
(usually marble) into their treatment which, although not quite as
relaxing as the heated stones, do have a part to play for many
conditions. A typical Hot Stone Massage will take 60 to 90 minutes.

Most
people who have a Hot Stone Massage will be 'blown away' by the level
of relaxation that is achieved. Some clients will have vivid dreams or
even 'out-of-body' experiences. It is usually a very grounding, relaxing
and healing experience. Apart form the deep level of relaxation, Hot
Stone Massage is also great to incorporate into Remedial or Deep Tissue
massage. Not only does the client receive the benefits, but when
practiced correctly, the therapist will reduce the strain placed on
their hands and wrists.

Practically every Spa in Europe, America
and Australia offers Hot Stone Massage or Stone Therapy on their menu.
The number of different styles however, is almost as varied as the
stones themselves.

As with all forms of massage, it is important
that therapists undertake professional Hot Stone Massage training. Check
with the Spa, Salon or therapist before your treatment to ensure you
are getting the best massage from the most qualified therapist.

About 36 Oaks. . .

36 Oaks Country Retreat is nestled in a grove of majestic oak trees on Gibson Canyon Road just a couple of minutes from downtown Vacaville, CA.

A lovely country cottage setting on two and half acres, with wild ferns growing in the shade. It is not uncommon to see deer wandering through, and an occasional raccoon or even a fox.

The name, 36 Oaks, came from an actual counting of the oak trees twenty years ago. Visiting the retreat with it's private patios, flowers, and cozy sitting areas, is a healing experience in itself, inviting you to get back in touch with nature.